Sunday, September 7, 2008

From last week's prototype, let's move on to a more useful set of instruments, designed specifically to detect nuclear explosions in the context of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty monitoring.

They are named after Professor Yves Rocard, the physicist who started to develop detection seismology in France in the 1960s, and who founded the division of the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) that is in charge of geophysical studies and activities associated with monitoring and the environment (LDG).

The Rocard is a classical electromagnetic seismometer, with a 1s natural period and electronic amplification. Rocard instruments were in operation at the Welschbruch station not far from Strasbourg.